Boon Brewery Dominates Geuze and Kriek Categories at World Beer Awards 2024
Belgian family brewery takes ten awards
Boon, one of the largest Belgian lambic breweries, won ten awards with five beers at the World Beer Awards 2024. The new Boon Millésime Oude Schaarbeekse Kriek, which will be launched in early October, won a gold medal and was also awarded the titles’ Belgium’s best Kriek,’ ‘World’s best Kriek’ and even the large, overarching award of ‘World’s best Sour & Wild Beer.’ Oude Geuze Boon Black Label No. 9 took the gold medal in the ‘Geuze’ category and was named ‘Belgium’s best Gueuze’ and ‘World’s best Geuze’. Oude Geuze Boon and Geuze Mariage Parfait won silver in the same category. Finally, the only high-fermentation beer from Boon Brewery, Duivelsbier Dark, won a silver medal in the ‘Strong Dark Ale’ category.
“Our Boon Millésime stands out,” stated a happy Karel Boon. “For the second year in a row, we have received the award for the world’s best kriek with this beer. In addition, our Oude Schaarbeekse Kriek was also awarded the highest possible award of all underlying categories of sour and wild beers.”
A cracking performance
Boon achieved this feat with the latest edition of the Millésime, of which the Schaarbeek cherries were harvested in 2023. “This new vintage will be available from the beginning of October at specialist drinks stores, in our beer shop, and at Delhaize towards the year-end,” explained Karel Boon.
The Oude Geuze Boon Black Label series is a permanent fixture at numerous international beer competitions. The Belgian family brewery has also won prizes with these beers at previous World Beer Awards, the World Beer Cup (USA), and the Brussels Beer Challenge. Almost every year, Jos and Karel Boon make a new blend. The jury of the World Beer Awards appreciated the most recent version, Black Label No. 9, which got the title of ‘World’s best Geuze.’
Jos Boon: “Our classics, Oude Geuze Boon and Geuze Mariage Parfait are just behind the Black Label with two silver medals, which shows that our focus on quality is paying off.” The jury report reads that the jury appreciated the balanced taste of the Millesime, the Oude Geuze Boon Black Label No. 9, and the other geuzes. The acidity is not dominant but supports the whole of aromas and flavours well.
Duivelsbier
Karel Boon: “Although our brewery is mainly known for its Oude Geuze and Kriek, we are also very proud of the silver medal for our Duivelsbier Dark. We have been brewing this typical Belgian dark beer of 8% for more than two decades. Earlier this year, we gave it a fresh new look. Winning a silver medal in this beer category is a real achievement because the competition is enormous. We enjoy this recognition. We want to give you one important piece of advice: You must taste our Duivelsbier at least once.”
Boon Brewery was founded in 1975 by Frank Boon. He is one of the pioneers who put the Oude Geuze on the map worldwide. In the meantime, his sons Jos (36) and Karel (30) have taken over the torch from him. With over 2 million liters of lambic, the family brewery has the world’s largest stock in oak barrels.
www.boon.be
Press relations
Karel Boon
Yves Panneels